"MGCB ends partnership with NCPG due to Kalshi's acceptance"

The Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB) has resigned from the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) due to the recent inclusion of Kalshi, a prediction market platform. Although Kalshi has pledged to aid in efforts to combat problem gambling, it hasn't officially declared that its own products are not considered gambling.

The MGCB has become the first member to leave the NCPG due to what it sees as a conflict between the organization's stated goals and one of its new members. The watchdog's Executive Director, Henry Williams, voiced strong disapproval of Kalshi's membership, stating: Until Michigan secured a temporary restraining order against Kalshi on June 29, 2026, Kalshi was, and may still be, actively engaged in offering unlicensed sports gambling in Michigan. Kalshi continues to provide unlicensed sports gambling in several other states and is involved in numerous lawsuits against various states nationwide. Williams criticized Kalshi's business practices, characterizing them as attempts to bypass existing gambling regulations and consumer protections. The watchdog highlighted ongoing litigation by Michigan and other states against the platform for its alleged violations, arguing that including Kalshi in the NCPG undermined state enforcement efforts. Williams disagreed with Kalshi's portrayal of their offerings, asserting that sporting event contracts were essentially a form of sports betting. Furthermore, I am deeply concerned that Kalshi’s efforts to differentiate sporting event contracts from other types of sports betting by claiming they resemble 'investment' or 'insurance' products directly undermine a key message of responsible gaming: that gambling in any form is meant for entertainment purposes only, he explained. Williams concluded that continuing MGCB’s membership in the NCPG conflicted with the regulator’s mission. The withdrawal is immediate and firm, and the MGCB is also retracting its support for the upcoming NCPG conference on safer gambling. Additionally, please be aware that the MGCB is canceling its sponsorship for the conference scheduled for the end of July. We will follow up separately to ensure that all mentions of MGCB sponsorship are removed, he concluded.